Re: Re: reorganisation and destruction of irish catholic churches

Just to change the subject a little, I am posting a description of Canterbury Cathedral taken from The Ecclesiologist for January 1845 deploring the lact of maintenance of the building which is ascribed to a lack of reverence for the building in turn deriving from deficient belief in the form, object and efficacy of Christian worship. By changing the dates and the names of the place one could well be referring to St. Colman’s Cathedral, Cobh, Co. Cork which, unfortunately, has fallen into the hands of an equally -if not more – unlearned and uncouth clergy who are incapable even of varnishing the doors against attrition of the elements:

A beautiful stair case turret tot he south-west transept is entirely out of repair; and generally in this part the windows are broken, or their cills are vegitating wuth weeds. St. Anselm’s chapel especially requires the glazier… The northeren side, which is concealed very much by by buildings, is even deficient in rain water pipes, and the walls are streaked with green. The most valuable sculptures here are unheeded….The chapter house is in disorder, damp and littered, and looks as if it were of no use to the modern economy of the Cathedral. The cloisters are a lumber-place for ladders, tackle, and stone, in spite of the noble efforts lately made (as we understand) in its favour by one of teh canons. How unlike its former appearance , when it was used for devout meditation, its windows glazed, and its walls painted with holy texts. The state of the crypt would not suggest to anyone that it is the restimg place of some of the most illustrous primates of the English Church” .